Many Louisiana residents are under the impression, myself included, that the current special session of our legislature was called by Governor John Bel Edwards to find ways to reduce the state's looming billion dollar budget shortfall.

If that's the case then why has the House Ways and Means Committee just passed two pieces of legislation that will increase your mobile phone taxes? Taxes that won't have any effect at all on the budget deficit at all.

The proposed legislation, House Bill 27 and House Bill 28, will affect consumers who purchase mobile phones and headset devices or consumers who purchase and use prepaid mobile phones or phone cards. Not a dime of the proposed increases can legally be put toward bringing the state's budget deficit back into balance.

The money generated from these tax increase will go to fund services for the deaf. Look I am all for helping out anyone who has a special need for special services but let's not put this piece of legislation in a special session that's designed to help the "special need" that is that state of Louisiana.

These taxes, 05 cents on mobile devices and headsets, and up to a dollar more on prepaid wireless and phone cards would go into effect as soon as the legislation is passed and Governor Edwards signs his name.

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